BARCELONA: Beautiful, Artistic, Historical, Convenient and Fun

 

Borrowed those above terms from Laura Viarengo. 

Barcelona:

• Is next to Madrid as the second largest city in Spain, with 1.6 million within the city limits and a metro area of 4.8 million.
• Founded as a Roman city around the time of Jesus Christ.

• 
  Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castille were married in 1469.  It was not a love-match, but a highly choreographed political union that united Spain.  They commissioned Christopher Columbus for his voyage to discover America.
• Of course, Asians entering North American nearly 16,000 years ago formed Indigenous Americans.

• 
  Further, in 1405 Chinese Muslim eunuch Zheng He launched the first of seven voyags west from China across the Indian Ocean, and over the next 30 years commanded the world's largest fleet funded by the Ming Emperor.  He discovered America in 1421.  His ships were gigantic compared to that of Columbus.

• 
  Hosted the 1992 Summer Olympics.
• Barcelona is the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture from 2024-2026.  Good timing for the completion of Gaudi's Sagrada Familia,
• FC Barcelona soccer club is famous (led by Lionel Messi, who is now in Miami).

• 
  Has the largest stadium in Europe with capacity of 99,354.
• The Port of Barcelona has a 2000-year old history, and is the leading European cruiser port, used by 3.6 million cruise passengers annually,

To close, the Paris Summer Olympics begin on July 26.  The latest news indicate that the USA track outfits are a problem.  U.S. long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall wrote:  Wait, my, hoo haa is gonna be out.

Next, the Regent Seven Seas Voyager is arriving later this morning, so we will board later today.

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